• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.104-111
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• 2023

As apple trees mature, it is important to maintain good light distribution within the canopy to produce marketable fruits. Tree thinning is the selective removal of a proportion of trees growing in the orchard to provide more growing space and a good light environment for the remaining trees. This study was conducted over 3 years (14-16 years after planting) to investigate the influence of tree thinning on vegetative growth, yield, fruit quality, and blooming in the 14 years old slender spindle 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees planted with the tree space of 3.2×1.2 m. The trees were placed in a control group (no thinning; 260 trees per 10 a) or a tree thinning group (thinned 50% of the control; 130 trees per 10 a). The tree thinning successfully improved light penetration, yield per tree, fruit red color, and yield efficiency for 3 years, and the tree thinning controlled the occurrence of biennial bearing. However, tree thinning significantly decreased accumulated yield per 10 a compared with the control. The vegetative growth, yield per tree, soluble solid contents, and blooming were not clear by the occurrence of biennial bearing in the control. These results indicated that tree thinning was a good method for improving light penetration and preventing biennial bearing in the old 'Fuji'/M.9 high-density apple orchards.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.239-252
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• 2023

Most apple trees in South Korea are grafted on M.9 and M.26 rootstocks; however, these rootstocks are susceptible to fire blight. Although M.7 rootstocks are moderately resistant to fire blight, they tend to exhibit excessive vigor, which is unsuitable for high-density planting, unless weak cultivars are used. This study investigated the vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality of apple trees grafted onto M.7, M.9, or M.26 rootstocks to assess the feasibility of establishing high-density apple orchards domestically using the M.7 rootstock a period of seven years (1-7 years after planting). Rootstocks were tested using three cultivars with contrasting induced vigor and harvesting times: vigorous and late-maturing 'Fuji,' moderate vigor and middle-maturing 'Hongro,' and low vigor and early-maturing 'Sansa.' The planting density was maintained constant, with 190 trees per 10 a. Primary thinning (leaving only the king fruit on clusters) was performed, whereas secondary thinning (controlling crop load) was not. Vegetative growth, accumulated yield per 10 a, and yield efficiency varied depending on cultivars and rootstocks; however, the cultivars had a more notable effect on fruit quality than the rootstocks. Biennial bearing often occurred in the M.26 rootstock. 'Fuji'/M.7 was overly vigorous for high-density planting. The fruit quality and accumulated yield per 10 a of M.7 were similar to those of M.9 with the 'Hongro' and 'Sansa' cultivars. In particular, 'Hongro'/M.7 did not show tree vigor reduction due to heavy crop load, and the degree of biennial bearing in 'Sansa'/M.7 was not particularly high. These results indicated that high-density apple planting using the M.7 rootstock was achievable using the 'Hongro' and 'Sansa' cultivars.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.297-310
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• 2023

M.7 rootstock is moderately resistant to fire blight. However, M.7 is generally too vigorous for high-density apple systems, but it can be grafted onto cultivars that exhibit weak tree growth, such as 'Sansa'. This study investigated the vegetative growth, yield, and fruit quality of 'Sansa' apple trees grafted on M.7 or M.9 rootstocks to assess the feasibility of establishing domestic high-density apple systems using M.7 and to determine the optimum exposure length for rootstocks. Trees were planted with exposed rootstock lengths of 5, 10, and 15 cm. The vegetative growth of apple trees grafted onto M.7 was greater than that of M.9 and vegetative growth tended to decrease as the exposed length of rootstock increased. However, the differences in yield per tree, average weights, soluble solids contents, and titratable acidity due to the rootstock and its exposure length varied. The accumulated yield over a 10 year period and the yield efficiency of M.7 were lower than that of M.9 and the yield efficiency tended to decrease as the exposed length of rootstock increased. When apple trees were grafted onto M.9, biennial bearing and tree vigor weakening occurred if the exposed length of the rootstock was over 10 cm. Conversely, when apple trees were grafted onto M.7, vegetative growth was excessive if the exposed length of rootstock was below 10 cm. Based on the results from this study, the optimum M.7 and M.9 exposure lengths for 'Sansa' were 15 cm and 5 cm, respectively.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2015

This study was conducted in three years (7-9 years after planting) to investigate vegetative growth, yield, fruit quality, and return bloom for optimum crop load based on different planting densities of adult 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees. As plant materials, 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees planted at $3.5{\times}1.5m$ (190 trees per 10 a), $3.5{\times}1.2m$ (238 trees per 10 a), and $3.2{\times}1.2m$ (260 trees per 10 a) spacing and trained as slender spindles were used. The crop load was assigned to five different object ranges as follows: 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85-94, and 95-104 fruit per tree. TCA increment, total shoot growth, return bloom, yield per tree, and yield efficiency tended to increase as planting density decreased, and fruit weight and soluble solid content tended to increase as the object range of crop load decreased. Fruit red color tended to increase as shoot growth decreased. For apple trees planted with 238 trees and 260 trees per 10a, biennial bearing occurred when the crop load was over 85-94 and 75-84 fruits, respectively. However, biennial bearing did not occur when the crop load was 95-104 fruits in apple trees planted with 190 trees per 10a. Accumulated yield tended to increase as planting density and crop load increased, but that of biennial bearing did not show such a difference. Based on our results, optimum crop load recommendations are to set 95-104 fruits per tree in 'Fuji'/M.9 mature apple trees planted at 190 trees per 10a, 75-84 fruits per tree at 238 trees per 10a, and 65-74 fruits per tree at 260 trees per 10a.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.306-311
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• 2008

Proper tree vigor and crop load were determined for 'Fuji'/M.9 apple trees in high density planting system from 2001 to 2003. Leaf/fruit ratio was highly correlated to mean fruit weight (y=1.715x+205.02, $R^2=0.66^{**}$) and yield (y=-35.l56x+5963.7, $R^2=0.44^{**}$). In addition, there was a significant correlation between the number of leaves per tree and mean fruit weight. However, crop load did not affect tree growth, soluble solids content of fruit, and Hunter a value. To harvest the fruits heavier than 300 g without biennial bearing, it was appropriate to crop 55 to 64 fruits in a tree with 55 leaves per fruit of adult tree. The good indices for proper tree vigor could be 20 to 25 cm of mean shoot length and above 95% of shoot termination rate. Moreover, no secondary growth and 20 to 30% of spur formation could be the indices for highly productive tree vigor.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.145-153
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: The 'Gamhong' cultivar, middle season apple with big fruit size and high soluble solid content, has been bred in Korea. However, it was hard to cultivate the cultivar in Korea by serious bitter pit. The relationships between shoot growth, fruit size, and bitter pit may be affected by crop load. This study was conducted for 2 years (7~8 years after planting) to investigate vegetative growth, fruit quality, bitter pit incidence, return bloom, and gross income for optimum crop load of 'Gamhong'/M.9 adult apple tree. METHODS AND RESULTS: The crop load was assigned to 4 different object ranges as follow: 45~64, 65~84, 85~104, and 105~124 fruits per tree. The vegetative growth, average fruit weight, percentage of fruits heavier than 375 g, soluble solid content, and return bloom increased significantly at the crop load range of 45~64 fruits. However, the lowest total gross income per tree may have been caused by the highest bitter pit incidence and the lowest yield per tree in any other crop load range. The total gross income and yield per tree increased significantly at the crop load range of 105~124 fruits and return bloom dropped to 40%, and hence it was possible to occur biennial bearing. It was 85~104 fruits that biennial bearing did not occur and total gross income was as high as the crop load range of 105~124 fruits. Also, the yield of high grade fruits per tree, with fruit weight of 400~499 g and none bitter pit on fruit surface, was highest at the crop load range of 85~104 fruits, compared to other crop load range. CONCLUSION: In considering fruit size, bitter pit incidence, return bloom, and gross income, the optimum crop load range of 'Gamhong'/M.9 adult apple tree in high density orchard was 85~104 fruits per tree.